7:30 p.m. on Monday, March 7th, and
Tuesday, March 8th
Lights! Action! Disco! You should be dancing, yeah!
Lights! Action! Disco! You should be dancing, yeah!
John Travolta danced his way onto
the big screen in Saturday Night Fever in 1977. The film came out at the
peak of the Age of Disco. It was a sensation! The way people dressed,
socialized, and danced would never be the same. Saturday Night Fever, The
Musical, is a spectacular touring production based on the groundbreaking
movie.
Feel the energy Monday, March 7th, and
Tuesday, March 8th, at the Thrasher-Horne Center. Saturday Night Fever is
packed with hits from the Bee Gees, including "Stayin' Alive,"
"Night Fever," "Jive Talking," "You Should Be
Dancing," and "How Deep is Your Love." There
are also several new songs that were written especially for this thrilling
production.
The setting is 1970’s Brooklyn.
The story is focused on Tony Manero, a nineteen year-old who spends his
weekends at a local disco. Dancing is the one thing he does well. Tony uses his
talent to escape from the difficult realities in his life. At the nightclub, he
spots Stephanie. She was more than a woman. She also was an excellent dancer.
Tony convinces her to partner with him in a dance competition. Or so the story
goes. What most people don’t know is the
story behind the story.
The story behind Saturday
Night Fever
In an article for PopMatters,
Marco Lanzagorta wrote, “It is nearly impossible to objectively assess
the magnitude of the impact that Saturday Night Fever had all over the
world. Arguably, Saturday Night Fever is the movie that most radically
altered and reshaped the many facets of popular culture… Saturday Night
Fever not only revolutionized the film and music industries, but it also
defined and dictated the dress codes and hairstyles of an entire generation.”
No one can deny that Saturday
Night Fever was one of the quintessential events of the 70s.
Saturday Night Fever Trivia from
the Internet Movie Data Base (IMDB)
When Tony's dad hit him in the
back of the head during dinner, his retort was, "Just watch the
hair!" after he had worked on it for so long. That was John Travolta's own
unscripted reaction. Since it was something Tony Manero would say, it was left
in the movie.
Filming was nearly interrupted
when a local mafia group tried to extort some protection money. They made a
deal the producers couldn’t refuse. Fuhgeddaboudit!
Travolta ran two miles a day and
danced for three hours daily to get in shape for the part.
Travolta’s sister, Ann Travolta,
appears in the movie as the pizza lady. His mother, Helen Travolta, appears as
a customer in the paint store.
The white suit worn by Travolta
was later auctioned for $145,000. It was originally purchased off the rack in a
retail establishment for a lot less. Fuhgeddaboudit!
The soundtrack sold over 20
million copies, making it the top selling album in history up to that time.
Michael Jackson’s "Thriller" came out six years later.
Seeing the movie on TV is one
thing. Seeing Saturday Night Fever, The Musical, with a live cast doing
all the moves on stage under a sparkling disco ball promises to be a
mesmerizing and unforgettable experience.
Reviews of Saturday Night Fever, The Musical
"Hit song after hit song,
bright lights and dancing to blow you away." BBC
"The show's unique blend of
poignancy and perpetual optimism coupled with the brilliance of the Bee Gees
score and breathtaking choreography-should provide dazzlingly delightful nights
for years to come." Theatermania.com
“Unforgettable songs and big
choreographic set pieces!” Daily Telegraph
“It’s a blast! Fever lights up
the stage.” Time Magazine
Coming Soon to the Thrasher-Horne
Center
HAL HOLBROOK IN MARK TWAIN
TONIGHT! Friday, April 22nd at 7:30 p.m.
Hal Halbrook began his incredible
career as an actor over half a century ago. He has performed on stage, on TV,
and in movies too numerous to list. He has won several Emmy Awards and he has
also been nominated for an Academy Award and two Screen Actors’ Guild Awards.
In 2003, President Bush presented him with a National Medal of the Humanities.
ONCE - THE
NORTHEAST FLORIDA PREMIERE!
As the chemistry between them
grows, his music soars to powerful new heights. However, their unlikely
connection turns out to be deeper and more complex than your everyday romance.
Emotionally captivating and theatrically breathtaking, ONCE draws
you in from the very first note and never let’s go. It’s an unforgettable story
about going for your dreams, not living in fear, and the power of music to
connect all of us.
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In this article, I’ve written about the upcoming performance of Saturday
Night Fever, The Musical, at the Thrasher-Horne Center Theater. I’ve also
noted other upcoming performances, including HAL HOLBROOK IN MARK TWAIN
TONIGHT and the Northeast Florida Premiere of ONCE.
Tickets for these events and others are on sale now on the Thrasher-Horne Center’s
website.
The Thrasher-Horne Center is one of the nicest venues of its type
in Northeast Florida. From concerts by renowned artists, to live theater, to
dance, to magic and other fantastic shows, you can see it all at the Thrasher
Horne-Center!
Spread the word about one of Northeast Florida’s best kept
secrets! Tell your family and friends about the Thrasher-Horne Center. People
will appreciate learning about what they have been missing.
We appreciate you taking the time to visit us. If you have a
comment about this article, please leave it in the comments section below.
They say that Disco is dead. As long as Saturday Night Fever is still around, they might have to reconsider that assessment.
ReplyDeleteI clearly remember the Saturday Night Fever craze. It was great! The dancing, the drama. It's here again!
ReplyDeleteAnother classic coming to life before our eyes. Without venues like Thrasher-Horne, disco fever (and other nostalgia) could be gone forever.
ReplyDeleteThis should stir up some pleasant memories for those that were around for the Disco scene. And for those who were born later, it will be a chance to see how things were. Sounds very entertaining.
ReplyDelete